


Just this once

by chocoprompt



Category: One Piece
Genre: 10 Days of LawLu, 10 Days of LawLu 2019, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Holding Hands, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sleeping Together, day 3: wounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-24 16:17:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19176904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocoprompt/pseuds/chocoprompt
Summary: In which they have defeated Doflamingo, but Law's mind continues haunting him.





	Just this once

**Author's Note:**

> This was also posted on [Tumblr](https://glazedbucky.tumblr.com/post/185517801874/just-this-once)!! Enjoy, and I apologize for any mistakes :)

Law rests his head against the bed Luffy’s sleeping in. The fight he had put against Doflamingo had been, from lack of better words at this very moment, brave and amazing and fucking hell, Law definitely owes the other captain a lot. He closes his eyes, recalling the moment he had seen Doflamingo falling from the sky, along with a completely out of strength Luffy, and even now, Law can’t believe it’s really true. Unsurprisingly, he doesn’t feel better or at peace, but it’s not like he was expecting to. His main reason to live is gone now, though, and what’s the point of moving forward without it?

Law isn’t aware of the hour, only that it’s still dark outside, and from the snores around the cabin, it isn’t hard to guess that everyone’s still sleeping. Law knows he should be resting as well, but once again, the wounds inside him outweigh those outside. Law opens his eyes, slowly getting up, considering whether it’s a good idea to leave the cabin, before a whisper stops him, “Torao?”

Law turns around, locking eyes with a half-asleep, completely covered in bandages Luffy, and it shouldn’t make his heart skip as it does. Luffy yawns before sighing deeply and closing his eyes, and Law thinks,  _wishes,_ for this to be the end of the conversation, but he quickly realizes that it isn’t that easy with Luffy. It never has been, and it never will.

“What do you need, Mugiwara-ya?”

Luffy makes a sound from the back of his throat before blindly extending his hand. Law gets the message and, upon his better judgement, takes it, and it’s warm in his almost-lost arm and the Surgeon of Death knows that this battle has left new wounds and has healed some but doesn’t this happen with every important battle?

Law almost expects it when Luffy tugs at their joined hands, but the former finds himself shocked to realize that he follows without any resistance. Luffy moves a little, giving him space, and even if their hands are still together, Law knows Luffy won’t pull again. The Strawhat is offering comfort, but it’s up to Law to take it or refuse it. He debates, but before he can choose, he feels something pushing him forward and Law turns his head around, only to find Cora-san.

“Cora-san?” Law croaks out, and he fights himself to stop the tremble in his body. He turns around completely, still not letting go of Luffy’s hand.

“Go, Law,” Cora says, and Law’s mouth is agape. Cora smiles softly, and Law feels like crying, “I know it doesn’t matter how much I tell you to let me go because you won’t,” The older man adds, matter-of-factly, “But there are people out there who care for you, and who are willing to fight for you,” Law is aware who Cora’s talking about – he has his crew, and Luffy – so Law squeezes the latter’s hand, biting his lip to avoid a sob coming out. Law wants to yell, wants to understand, because really, he wasn’t worth any of this, but Cora steps forward and takes Law’s face in between his hands, and Law closes his eyes and breathes deeply, letting the smoke-smell fill him, and he’s taken back to those times when they visited hospital after hospital, looking for a cure. Law tries to prepare for it, but he knows it’s useless when Cora speaks again, “Stop punishing yourself for things that aren’t your fault.”

Law can feel his eyes watering, but when he opens them, he sees there’s nobody there. Snores start filling his ears again and his heavy breathing is noticeable, but he feels Luffy’s grip tightening, and it’s all he can focus on. This time, Law lets himself fall onto the bed before laying next to Luffy, hands still together.

“You know you can let it out, Torao,” Luffy murmurs, sounding so close to sleep it’s almost as though he were talking in his dreams.

Law closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, before whispering, “Thank you.”

He knows Luffy will understand because even if careless and simple, he’s not stupid. He isn’t proved wrong when Luffy squeezes his hand, and Law sits up a little, enough to tower over Luffy and press a light kiss to his forehead, over the bandages, and before Law lies back down, he sees the Strawhat smiling. Law mind replays the words Cora just said to him, but Law pushes it aside, for once paying full attention to the boy beside him, already snoring carefree – it was a miracle he had lasted this long, honestly – instead of to all the demons haunting him.

“Only this once…” Law murmurs before closing his eyes and letting the warmth of Luffy take over him. He falls asleep, Luffy’s hand covering his, and for the first time in quite a long time, Law dreams lack of Doflamingo, Cora or his family: it’s all full of sun, smiles and laughs, all belonging to one boy.


End file.
